Looking back at the now-desolate Six Flags New Orleans 13 years after Hurricane Katrina hit

Photographer Seph Lawless shared these striking photos of the Six Flags in New Orleans, which has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

Photographer Seph Lawless shared these striking photos of the Six Flags in New Orleans, which has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

Photo: Courtesy Photo/Seph Lawless

Photo: Courtesy Photo/Seph Lawless

Image
1of/75

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 75

Photographer Seph Lawless shared these striking photos of the Six Flags in New Orleans, which has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

Photographer Seph Lawless shared these striking photos of the Six Flags in New Orleans, which has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

Photo: Courtesy Photo/Seph Lawless

Looking back at the now-desolate Six Flags New Orleans 13 years after Hurricane Katrina hit

1 / 75

Back to Gallery

Thirteen years have passed since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, and one of the city's former favorite attractions is still feeling the effects.

Six Flags in New Orleans was abandoned on Aug. 29, 2005, six days after the hurricane formed. Trees have sprung around the motionless roller coasters and alligators float in the waters of the 150-acre site that sits in water.

FX's American Crime Story anthology will tackle Hurricane Katrina for its second season. Only a few details have emerged so far, including the news that Annette Bening has now joined the cast. The veteran actress will play Kathleen Blanco, who was the governor of Louisiana during and after Katrina from 2004 to 2008. Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Cuba Gooding Jr. have all been been confirmed to return to show, but in undisclosed parts. The first installment of the series, "People v. O.J.

Media: MediaOS Video

Offers to purchase the closed theme park were turned down by the city's industrial development board turned down in March 2017, NOLA.com reports.

The three-member board felt the people making the offers didn't have the funds necessary to clean up and redevelop the park.

Frank Scurlock, inventor of the bounce house, offered $3.6 million cash for the property. Businesswoman Tonya Pope offered $3.26 million and a group of investors offered $4.55 million.

The property had a market value of $3.26 million in March 2017, according to NOLA.com.

The park lies a good 30 minutes outside the popular French Quarter and traditional tourist attractions in the city. There wasn't much interest in the area for tourists before the park opened as Jazzland in 20o0 and switched to Six Flags in 2003.

Click through the slideshow above to see photos of the abandoned park.